Good Stories, Good Math
Preschoolers who can tell good stories develop good mathematical skills by the first grade
Spinning a good yarn may seem to have little to do with mathematics, but a new study suggests otherwise. Preschoolers who tell stories that include many different perspectives do better in math two years later than those who stick to one simple perspective. The researchers believe that the study may highlight a deep connection between mathematical ability and narrative skills.
Daniela O’Neill and her colleagues at the University of Waterloo in Ontario gave 3- and 4-year-olds the picture book Frog Goes to Dinner by Mercer Mayer. The wordless book shows a frog hopping around a restaurant, causing mayhem. The researchers asked the kids to tell the story to a puppet who’d never seen the book and measured the sophistication of each child’s story. They also gave the children a test of general verbal ability. Two years later, they gave the children a test of academic achievement in a variety of areas.